Sen. Ted Cruz Commends Donald Trump, GOP Leaders Slam Him (Video)

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas refused to criticize fellow GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump after the front-runner called for a "complete shutdown" on all Muslims entering the U.S. on Dec. 7 (video below).

“Well, certainly in the media, there has been no shortage of criticism for Donald Trump," Cruz told a press conference on Dec. 8, according to MSNBC. "I do not believe the world needs my voice added to that chorus of critics.

“And listen, I commend Donald Trump for standing up and focusing America’s attention on the need to secure our borders."

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Cruz went on to say that President Barack Obama had said that the Islamic State isn't Islamic, which Cruz described as "just nutty."

In reality, Obama has repeatedly said that the Islamic State doesn't represent the religion of Islam as a whole or all Muslims, Politifact Virginia noted in November. Instead, Obama has described the Islamic State as a "terrorist group" with a "twisted ideology."

In his speech, Cruz also said that the Islamic State had directed its attention towards Israel and the U.S., when in fact the Islamic State's main targets have been Syria and Iraq, the BBC News reported earlier in December.